May I remind forum members that I'm still happy to offer critiques and sometimes exchanges despite being pro'ed out of the contest. Obviously if I knew how to win I'd have won, but I managed a semi-finalist and a couple of silvers. I don't however tell people their stories are good if I don't think ...

My Nature story is out: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-017-07228-2 I'm quite proud of this one. It is the first story that made my beta readers cry and at 950 words that's hard to do. Oh yes! But the interview is almost better than the story. There's more here Aaron. You've created a world ...

Oh! Sound of frog lodged in the throat Of dying wolf that made sweet chords! How shall our untuned lyres give note Angelic to to thy rough-hewn words? For clothed like sheep the lycanthrope’s Grey goatskin glimmers neath red moon; And like the frog bathed in lye soap Our feeble croaks and sighs end ...

I want to stress that I have worked with pro editors who were content to leave the writing to the writer (Flame Tree and Third Flatiron for example.) I've also had the good fortune to work with editors who saw what I was trying to do and helped me do it better. Honourable mentions to MJ Moores, Josh...

The truly infuriating thing about recent events was that I had contrived to improve the story. I think when multiple changes are made to a text it's very easy for it to become rather clunky. What began as a beautifully-choreographed if perhaps slightly elaborate dance becomes a series of disconnecte...

I'm finding it hard to write down my recent experiences. I shall be brief. If I've counted right, and I may not have because the exchanges were drawn out, it adds up to six rewrites, four by me and two (uninvited) by an editorial team. The first of the editorial redrafts came after my first. It took...

Thanks, Martin. That was pretty much my thinking. I have to say that I've encountered a huge variety of editorial philosophies and degrees of intervention, even in my short career. The first time I encountered a strongly interventionist editor I was quite taken aback. "No, no," I said, &qu...

A certain writing saga of mine has been going on so long I can't remember what thread it was in. You may recall I mentioned decling publication of a story that had been, in my view, excessively re-written by a pro editor? Well the editor asked me to take another shot at it myself, which I did, incor...

Thank you, Moon; you are in danger of giving me a swelled head! Now for some reason I'm being pressed to investigate whether my various pro outlets met the 5,000 copies / hits rule as well as paying pro rates. Since my first pro sale was way back in 2014 and that outlet is not at present back after ...

I thought I'd posted my result already. Maybe I failed to press submit or something. Anyway I'm signing off from WotF with my eleventh HM, a batting average of .583 and a hitting streak of 12 consecutive entries. Close but no cigar. Not much more than a whiff of a distant cigarillo. Fortunately ther...

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51i1Zf7iAWL.jpg And Now! Available for preorder at an Amazon page near you! Containing not only my story mentioned above but also the sonnet mentioned earlier. Hey! For the first time ever, I'm in the same anthology twice! wotf007

Is it art if it's not in the public domain? The standard answer is to point out Van Gogh sold only one paiting in his lifetime. On the other hand, I for one certainly started with the notion that my work didn't sell because it was too artistic for the uncomprehending market. The truth, as I now kno...

I would add that sending stories to a number of outlets is a good way to reduce size of butterflies connected with any particular outlet. I got a rejection this morning, to which my reaction was "What on Earth did I send to them?"

wotf013 And I've actually sold another story but I can't say where as yet. Which is that my story 'Conspiracy of Silence' will be appearing in 'More Alternative Truths' due out on 11/11. Sometime in 2015, just after I'd sold 'The Old Man on the Green' to T Gene Davis, a reader actually enquired whe...

Thank you, but to be honest the positive attitude around this forum makes membership an easy load to carry. I'm very wary of organisations whose members lack the mutually-supportive ethos. But before we get carried away, I'm not yet a household name in my own household, let alone someone who invaria...

So... you're killing us... what was the question? Something like: What business is carried on in London by houses called Phillips and Bonhams? Now since then I've been underbidder on a clock sold by auction at Bonhams, but at the time I'd no idea. I held the option at the time, so the issue was, ta...

So the next time I go on a quiz show I'm going to introduce myself 'Call me Ishmael and I'm a writer." wotf011 Fixed. wotf001 Oh yes. Let's get the quotation right. But actually the only time I was on a quiz show I at first found it quite nerve-wracking to say anything. The show was called '15...

My rule of thumb is that in order to count as personal, a rejection has to refer to your story. Analog, for example, has a realtively rare 'send more' form rejection which is an honour in itself. As I recall it makes a reference to liking your style of writing, but says nothing about the story itsel...

Ah! Thanks JV, but sadly the membership fee is nearly two thirds of the income from a professional story. I've been qualified for quite a while, because SFWA don't employ the exclusions that WotF does. However, although I'm told there are discounts for impoverished foreigners such as I, I'll have to...

You are most kind, Moon. I'm not sure whether I was being asked for my story method or my determination method. Stubbornness comes as part of the package when you're born in Yorkshire. Plus I tend to tackle things that I find daunting because they aren't allowed to beat me. Such as taking up steeple...

Ishmael, your determination is certainly an inspiration! ... So how do you do it? 1. Idea 2. extensive research 3. start writing 4. write your protagonist into an impossible corner 5. have another idea to get your protagonist out of the corner 6. write the rest 7. go back and eliminate verbiage and...